KR20230155608A - Refillable aerosol delivery device and related method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices. The aerosol delivery device may include one or more charging ports 436. Thereby, the reservoir of the aerosol delivery device may be refillable. The filling port may be defined in the base 402 of the cartridge 400 of the aerosol delivery device. The aerosol delivery device may further include a flow director 408. Atomizer 410 may extend through the flow director transversely to the longitudinal length of the flow director. The atomizer may include a liquid delivery element 424 through which a capillary channel 430 extends, and the liquid delivery element 424 may receive the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir. The aerosol precursor composition may be drawn through a liquid transfer element to the heating element 426 of the atomizer, which may vaporize the aerosol precursor composition.

Description

REFILLABLE AEROSOL DELIVERY DEVICE AND RELATED METHOD}

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, such as electronic cigarettes, and more particularly to aerosol delivery devices that include an atomizer. The atomizer may be configured to heat an aerosol precursor composition, which may be made of, derived from, or otherwise comprise tobacco, to form an inhalable material for human consumption.

Many devices have been proposed over the years as improvements or alternatives to smoking products that require combustion of tobacco during use. Many of these devices are intentionally designed to provide the sensations associated with smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe without delivering significant amounts of incomplete combustion and thermal decomposition products resulting from burning tobacco. To this end, a number of alternative smoking products, flavor generators and medicated inhalers have been proposed that attempt to provide the sensation of cigarette, cigar or pipe smoking without using electrical energy to vaporize or heat volatile substances or without burning the tobacco to a significant extent. It has been done. For example, US Patent No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0255702 to Griffith Jr. et al., US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0000638 to Sebastian et al. Ho, US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0096781 to Sears et al., US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0096782 to Ampolini et al., US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0059780 to Davis et al. See the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and heating sources described in the background art, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. See also, for example, various embodiments of articles and heating configurations disclosed in the background of U.S. Pat. incorporated by reference).

However, it may be desirable to provide an aerosol delivery device with an alternative configuration. Such a configuration may provide for refilling and reuse of the aerosol delivery device. Accordingly, advances in aerosol delivery devices may be desirable.

The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device configured to generate an aerosol, and in some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may be referred to as an electronic cigarette. In one aspect, an aerosol delivery device is provided. The aerosol delivery device may include an outer body, a base, and a flow director extending through the outer body from a first flow director end to a second flow director end, wherein a reservoir may be defined between the flow director and the outer body. You can. The reservoir may define an open space configured to contain the aerosol precursor composition. Additionally, the aerosol delivery device may include an atomizer extending through the flow director at a location between the first flow director end and the second flow director end. The atomizer may include a liquid transfer element and a heating element configured to vaporize at least a portion of the aerosol precursor composition to produce an aerosol within the flow director.

In some embodiments, the liquid transfer element may include a capillary channel extending therethrough. The liquid transfer element may comprise a porous monolith. The heating element may include a wire defining a plurality of coils extending around the liquid transfer element. The aerosol delivery device may further include first and second connectors contacting the coil at opposing first and second ends of the heating element.

In some embodiments, the longitudinal axis of the liquid transport element may extend substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the flow director. The outer body may be sealed relative to the base. The outer body can be connected to the base through a screw connection. The aerosol delivery device may further include an O-ring compressed between the outer body and the base. The aerosol delivery device may further include a mouthpiece. The mouthpiece may be sealed relative to the external body and flow director. The base may include one or more filling ports configured to receive an aerosol precursor composition. The atomizer may be sealed relative to the flow director.

In a further aspect, a method of operating an aerosol delivery device is provided. The method may include retaining the aerosol precursor composition in a reservoir defined between the flow director and the external body. The flow director may extend between the first flow director end and the second flow director end. The method may also include directing the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir through a liquid delivery element of the atomizer extending through the flow director at a location between the first flow director end and the second flow director end. The method may further include receiving an electric current through a heating element of the atomizer. The method may further include vaporizing at least a portion of the aerosol precursor composition to generate an aerosol within the flow director.

In some embodiments, the method may further include receiving the aerosol precursor composition through one or more filling ports defined in the base. Directing the aerosol precursor composition through the liquid transfer element may include directing the aerosol precursor composition through the capillary channel. Directing the aerosol precursor composition through the liquid transfer element may further include directing the aerosol precursor composition through the porous monolith to a heating element.

In some embodiments, receiving electric current through the heating element may include receiving electric current through a wire defining a plurality of coils extending around the liquid transfer element. Additionally, the method may include directing the aerosol out of the flow director through a mouthpiece. The method may further include retaining the aerosol precursor composition within the reservoir by a seal between the outer body and the base. The method may further include retaining the aerosol precursor composition within the reservoir by a seal between the outer body and the mouthpiece and a seal between the flow director and the mouthpiece.

Accordingly, the present disclosure includes, but is not limited to, the following examples:

Example 1 : An aerosol delivery device comprising: an external body, a base, a flow director extending through the external body from a first flow director end to a second flow director end, and a reservoir between the flow director and the external body. wherein the reservoir defines an open space configured to receive an aerosol precursor composition - and an atomizer extending through the flow director at a location between the first flow director end and the second flow director end - the atomizer comprising: An aerosol delivery device comprising: a heating element configured to vaporize at least a portion of the aerosol precursor composition to generate an aerosol within the fragrance and a liquid delivery element.

Example 2 : An aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding examples and any combination of the preceding examples, wherein the liquid transfer element comprises a capillary channel extending therethrough.

Example 3 : An aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding examples and any combination of the preceding examples, wherein the liquid delivery element comprises a porous monolith.

Example 4 : An aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding embodiments and any combination of the preceding embodiments, wherein the heating element comprises a wire defining a plurality of coils extending around the liquid delivery element.

Example 5 : An aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding embodiments and any combination of the preceding embodiments, further comprising first and second connectors contacting the coil at opposing first and second ends of the heating element. Aerosol delivery device.

Example 6 : An aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding embodiments and any combination of the preceding embodiments, wherein the longitudinal axis of the liquid transport element extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the flow director.

Example 7 : An aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding examples and any combination of the preceding examples, wherein the outer body is sealed relative to the base.

Example 8 : An aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding embodiments and any combination of the preceding embodiments, wherein the outer body engages the base via a threaded engagement.

Example 9 : An aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding embodiments and any combination of the preceding embodiments, further comprising an O-ring compressed between the outer body and the base.

Example 10 : An aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding embodiments and any combination of the preceding embodiments, further comprising a mouthpiece sealed to the outer body and the flow director.

Example 11 : An aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding examples and any combination of the preceding examples, wherein the base includes one or more filling ports configured to receive an aerosol precursor composition.

Example 12 : An aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding examples and any combination of the preceding examples, wherein the atomizer is sealed to the flow director.

Example 13 : A method of operating an aerosol delivery device, comprising retaining an aerosol precursor composition in a reservoir defined between a flow director and an external body, the flow director extending between a first flow director end and a second flow director end. and directing the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir through a liquid delivery element of the atomizer extending through the flow director at a location between the first flow director end and the second flow director end, and through a heating element of the atomizer. A method of operating an aerosol delivery device comprising receiving an electric current and vaporizing at least a portion of an aerosol precursor composition to produce an aerosol within a flow director.

Example 14 : A method of operating an aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding examples and any combination of the preceding examples, further comprising receiving an aerosol precursor composition through one or more filling ports defined in the base. .

Example 15 : A method of operating an aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding examples and any combination of the preceding examples, wherein directing the aerosol precursor composition through the liquid delivery element comprises directing the aerosol precursor composition through the capillary channel. , How an aerosol delivery device works.

Example 16 : A method of operating an aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding examples and any combination of the preceding examples, wherein directing the aerosol precursor composition through a liquid transfer element comprises directing the aerosol precursor composition through a porous monolith to a heating element. A method of operating an aerosol delivery device, further comprising:

Example 17 : A method of operating an aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding embodiments and any combination of the preceding embodiments, wherein receiving an electric current through a heating element comprises: receiving an electric current through a wire defining a plurality of coils extending around the liquid delivery element; A method of operating an aerosol delivery device comprising receiving an electric current.

Example 18 : A method of operating an aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding examples and any combination of the preceding examples, further comprising directing the aerosol through a mouthpiece and out of the flow director.

Example 19 : A method of operating an aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding examples and any combination of the preceding examples, further comprising retaining the aerosol precursor composition within the reservoir by a seal between the outer body and the base. How it works.

Example 20 : A method of operating an aerosol delivery device of any of the preceding examples and any combination of the preceding examples, wherein the aerosol precursor composition is deposited within a reservoir by a seal between the outer body and the mouthpiece and a seal between the flow director and the mouthpiece. A method of operating an aerosol delivery device, further comprising:

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. This disclosure includes any combination of two, three, four, or more features or elements described in this disclosure or in any one or more of the claims, whether such features or elements are used in the description of specific embodiments herein and in any combination thereof. This includes whether explicitly combined or otherwise stated in the claims. This disclosure is to be understood collectively such that any separable feature or element of the disclosure, in any of its aspects and embodiments, is to be construed as being combinable unless the context of the disclosure clearly dictates otherwise. It is intended to be.

Having thus described the disclosure in general terms above, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale:
1 shows a side view of an aerosol delivery device including a cartridge and a control body in an assembled configuration, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 2 shows the control body of Figure 1 in an exploded configuration, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 3 shows the cartridge of Figure 1 in an exploded configuration, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;
4 shows a partially exploded view of a refillable cartridge according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 5 shows the refillable cartridge of Figure 4 in an assembled configuration;
Figure 6 shows an enlarged perspective view of the atomizer of the refillable cartridge of Figure 4;
Figure 7 shows a partial longitudinal section through the lower part of the cartridge of Figure 4;
Figure 8 shows a partial longitudinal section through the upper part of the cartridge of Figure 4;
9 schematically illustrates a method of operating an aerosol delivery device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure will now be more fully described below with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof. These exemplary embodiments are described so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Indeed, this disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments described herein, but rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural variations unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

This disclosure provides a description of an aerosol delivery device. An aerosol delivery device uses electrical energy to heat a material (preferably without burning the material to any significant extent) to form an inhalable substance; These articles are most preferably compact enough to be considered “hand-held” devices. An aerosol delivery device is an aerosol delivery device that combines the sensations of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe (e.g., inhalation and exhalation habits, type of taste or flavor, organoleptic effects, physical sensations, usage habits, visual cues such as those provided by visible aerosols, etc.). ) can provide some or all of the sensations without burning any significant degree of any component of the article or device. An aerosol delivery device may not produce smoke in the sense of an aerosol resulting from a by-product of combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco, but rather such article or device most preferably produces vapor resulting from the volatilization or vaporization of certain components of the article or device. (e.g., including vapor within an aerosol that may be considered a visible aerosol, which may be considered to look like smoke), but in other embodiments the aerosol may not be visible. In a very preferred embodiment, the aerosol delivery device may comprise tobacco and/or components derived from tobacco. As such, an aerosol delivery device may be characterized as an electronic smoking article, such as an electronic cigarette or “e-cigarette.”

Although the systems are described herein generally in terms of embodiments associated with aerosol delivery devices, such as so-called “e-cigarettes,” the devices, components, features and methods may be embodied in many different forms and associated with a variety of articles. It must be understood that it is possible. For example, the description provided herein includes embodiments of traditional smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars or pipes, etc.), heat-not-burn tobacco and associated packaging of any of the products disclosed herein. Can be used together. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the descriptions of the devices, components, features and methods disclosed herein are discussed in terms of embodiments relating to aerosol delivery devices by way of example only and that they may be implemented and used in a variety of other products and methods.

Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure may also be characterized as being vapor-generating articles or drug delivery articles. Accordingly, such articles or devices may be adapted to provide one or more substances (eg, flavors and/or active pharmaceutical ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. For example, an inhalable substance may be substantially in the form of a vapor (i.e., a substance that is gaseous at a temperature below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhalable material may be in the form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or droplets in a gas). For simplicity, as used herein, the term "aerosol" means any form or type of vapor suitable for human inhalation, whether or not visible and whether or not in a form that may be considered smoke-like. , means including gases and aerosols.

In use, the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure may be subject to many of the physical forces utilized by an individual when using traditional types of smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars or pipes used by lighting and inhaling). there is. For example, a user of an aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure may hold the article much like a traditional type of smoking article, draw on one end of the article to inhale the aerosol produced by the article; Puffing, etc. can be performed at selected time intervals.

Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure generally include a number of components provided within an outer shell or body. The overall design of the outer shell or body may be changed, and the format or configuration of the outer body may be changed, which may define the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device. Typically, the elongated body, similar to the shape of a cigarette or cigar, may be formed from a single, integral shell; The elongated body may be formed from two or more separable pieces. For example, an aerosol delivery device may comprise an elongated shell or body that is substantially tubular in shape and may therefore resemble the shape of a conventional cigarette or cigar. However, various other shapes and configurations may be used in other embodiments (eg, rectangular or fob shapes).

In one embodiment, all components of the aerosol delivery device are contained within one outer body or shell. Alternatively, the aerosol delivery device may include two or more shells that are joined and separable. For example, an aerosol delivery device may have a control body at one end that includes a shell housing one or more reusable components (e.g., a rechargeable battery and various electronics for controlling the operation of the article). and may have at the other end a shell removably attached thereto and containing a disposable portion (e.g., a disposable flavor-containing cartridge). More specific formats, configurations and arrangements of components within a single shell type unit or within a multi-piece separable shell type unit will become apparent in light of the further disclosure provided herein. Additionally, a variety of aerosol delivery device designs and component arrangements can be understood by considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices.

The aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure most preferably comprises a power source (i.e., an electrical power source), at least one control component (e.g., controlling current flow from the power source to other components of the aerosol delivery device, etc.). means for activating, controlling, regulating and/or stopping power for heating), heaters or heating components (e.g., electrical resistance heating elements or components that may be collectively referred to as part of an “atomizer”) , aerosol precursor compositions (e.g., liquids capable of generating an aerosol upon application of sufficient heat, such as ingredients collectively referred to as “smoke juice,” “e-liquid,” and “e-juice”) ), and a mouth end region or tip to allow aspiration onto the aerosol delivery device for aerosol inhalation (e.g., a defined air flow path through the article such that the generated aerosol can be drawn from the article upon aspiration). Includes some combinations.

The alignment of components within the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure may vary. In certain embodiments, the aerosol precursor composition can be positioned near the end of an aerosol delivery device, which can be configured to be positioned proximate the user's mouth to maximize aerosol delivery to the user. However, other configurations are not excluded. Generally, the heating element may be positioned in sufficient proximity to the aerosol precursor composition such that heat from the heating element heats the aerosol precursor (and one or more flavours, agents, etc., which may likewise be provided for delivery to a user). It volatilizes to form an aerosol for delivery to the user. When a heating element heats the aerosol precursor composition, a vapor is formed, which then condenses into an aerosol suitable for inhalation by the consumer. The foregoing terms include references to "radiate", "emitting", "release" or "released", "form" or "occur", "forming" or "occurring", "form" It should be noted that the meaning is interchangeable to include "or" occurs," or "is formed" or "occurs." Specifically, inhalable substances are released in the form of vapors or aerosols, or mixtures thereof, and such terms are also used interchangeably herein except where otherwise specified.

As mentioned above, the aerosol delivery device is capable of providing sufficient current flow to provide various functions to the aerosol delivery device, such as powering a heater, powering a control system, or powering an indicator. It may include batteries and/or other electrical power sources (e.g., capacitors). The power source can take on various embodiments. Preferably, the power source delivers sufficient power to rapidly heat the heating element, thereby providing aerosol formation and powering the aerosol delivery device through use for the desired duration. The power source is preferably sized to fit conveniently within the aerosol delivery device so that the aerosol delivery device can be easily handled. Additionally, the preferred power source is sufficiently lightweight so as not to detract from the desirable smoking experience.

More specific formats, configurations and arrangements of components within the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure will become apparent in light of the additional disclosure provided below. Additionally, the selection of various aerosol delivery device components can be understood when considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices. Additionally, the arrangement of components within an aerosol delivery device can also be understood when considering commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices. Examples of commercially available products whose components, methods of operation, incorporated materials, and/or other properties may be incorporated into the devices of the present disclosure, as well as examples of components and related techniques that may be utilized in the aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure. The manufacturer, inventor and/or assignee is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15/222,615 to Watson et al., filed July 28, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

One exemplary embodiment of an aerosol delivery device 100 is shown in FIG. 1 . In particular, Figure 1 shows an aerosol delivery device 100 comprising a control body 200 and a cartridge 300. Control body 200 and cartridge 300 may be permanently or removably aligned in a functional relationship. A variety of mechanisms may connect the cartridge 300 to the control body 200, resulting in a screw-fit, press-fit, interference fit, magnetic fit, etc. Aerosol delivery device 100 may, in some embodiments, be substantially rod-shaped, substantially tube-shaped, or substantially cylindrical-shaped when cartridge 300 and control body 200 are in assembled configuration. However, as mentioned above, various other configurations may be used in other embodiments, such as rectangular or fob shapes. Additionally, while aerosol delivery devices are generally described herein as being similar in size and shape to traditional smoking articles, other embodiments may utilize larger reservoirs, which may be referred to as “tanks,” and different configurations.

In certain embodiments, one or both control body 200 and cartridge 300 may be referred to as disposable or reusable. For example, the control body 200 may have replaceable or rechargeable batteries and/or capacitors, and thus a connection to a typical alternating current electrical outlet, a connection to a car charger (i.e., a cigarette lighter socket), and It can be combined with any type of recharging technology, including, for example, connection to a computer via a universal serial bus (USB) cable. Additionally, in some exemplary embodiments, cartridge 300 may include a single-use cartridge such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,910,639 to Chang et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. do.

Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the control body 200 of the aerosol delivery device 100 (see Figure 1) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the control body 200 includes a coupler 202, an outer body 204, a sealing member 206, an adhesive member 208 (e.g., KAPTON® tape), and a flow sensor 210. ) (e.g., a puff sensor or pressure switch), control component 212, spacer 214, electrical power source 216 (e.g., battery and/or capacitor, which may be rechargeable), indicator 218 (e.g. For example, it may include a circuit board with light emitting diodes (LEDs), a connector circuit 220, and an end cap 222. An example of an electrical power source is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,484,155 to Peckerar et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

With respect to flow sensor 210, representative current control components and other current control components, including various microcontrollers, sensors and switches for aerosol delivery devices, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,217 to Gerth et al.; U.S. Patent Nos. 4,922,901, 4,947,874 and 4,947,875 to Brooks et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al.; US Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al.; U.S. Patent No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 8,205,622 to Pan, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Reference is also made to the manufacturing method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,423,152 to Ampolini et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

In one embodiment, indicator 218 may include one or more light emitting diodes. Indicator 218 may communicate with control component 212 via connector circuit 220 and, for example, during user suction on a cartridge coupled to coupler 202, detected by flow sensor 210. can be illuminated End cap 222 may be adapted to visualize illumination provided underneath by indicator 218 . Accordingly, indicator 218 may be illuminated during use of aerosol delivery device 100 to simulate a lit end of a smoking article. However, in other embodiments, indicators 218 may be provided in various numbers, may take on different shapes, or may even be openings in the external body (e.g., to emit sound when such indicators are present).

Other components may be used in the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 to Sprinkel et al. discloses an indicator for a smoking article; U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel Jr. discloses a piezoelectric sensor that can be associated with the mouth end of a device to trigger heating of the heating device after detecting user lip activity associated with sucking; U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 to McCafferty et al. discloses a puff sensor for controlling energy flow into a heating load array in response to pressure drop through a mouthpiece; U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al. discloses a receptacle in a smoking device that includes an identifier that detects non-uniformities in the infrared transmission of an inserted component and a controller that executes a detection routine when the component is inserted into the receptacle. Discloses; US Patent No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al. discloses a finite feasible power cycle with multiple differential phases; U.S. Patent No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al. discloses a photonic-optronic component; U.S. Patent No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al. discloses a means for varying the resistance to draw through a smoking device; U.S. Patent No. 6,803,545 to Blake et al. discloses a specific battery configuration for use in smoking devices; U.S. Patent No. 7,293,565 to Griffen et al. discloses various charging systems for use with smoking devices; U.S. Patent No. 8,402,976 to Fernando et al. discloses computer interface means for a smoking device to facilitate charging and allow computer control of the device; U.S. Patent No. 8,689,804 to Fernando et al. discloses an identification system for a smoking device; WO 2010/003480 to Flick discloses a fluid flow detection system for indicating puffs in an aerosol-generating system; All of the foregoing disclosures are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. Additional examples of components associated with electronic aerosol delivery articles and starting materials or components that can be used in the articles include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,217 to Gus et al.; US Patent No. 5,249,586 to Morgan et al.; US Pat. No. 5,666,977 to Higgins et al.; US Patent No. 6,053,176 to Adams et al.; White, U.S. Patent No. 6,164,287; U.S. Patent No. 6,196,218 to Voges; U.S. Patent No. 6,810,883 to Felter et al.; US Patent No. 6,854,461 to Nichols; U.S. Patent No. 7,832,410 to Hon; U.S. Patent No. 7,513,253 to Kobayashi; U.S. Patent No. 7,896,006 to Hamano; U.S. Patent No. 6,772,756 to Shayan; U.S. Patent Nos. 8,156,944 and 8,375,957 to Horn; Newton, U.S. Patent No. 8,528,569; Newton's U.S. Patent No. 8,707,965; U.S. Patent No. 8,794,231 to Thorens et al.; U.S. Patent No. 8,851,083 to Oglesby et al.; U.S. Patents 8,915,254 and 8,925,555 to Monsees et al.; and U.S. Patent No. 9,220,302 to DePiano et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2006/0196518 and 2009/0188490 by Hon; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0024834 to Oglesby et al.; US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0307518 to Wang; WO 2010/091593 by Hon; and WO 2013/089551 to Foo, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Various materials disclosed in the foregoing publications may be included in the present device in various embodiments, and all of the foregoing disclosures are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Figure 3 shows the cartridge 300 of the aerosol delivery device 100 (see Figure 1) in an exploded configuration. As shown, the cartridge 300 includes a base 302, a control component terminal 304, an electronic component 306, a flow director 308, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. An atomizer 310, a reservoir 312 (e.g., reservoir substrate), an external body 314, a mouthpiece 316, a label 318, and first and second heating terminals 320, 321. It can be included.

In some embodiments, the first and second heating terminals 320, 321 may be embedded within the flow director 308 or otherwise coupled to the flow director 308. For example, the first and second heating terminals 320 and 321 may be insert molded into the flow director 308. Accordingly, flow director 308 and the first and second heating terminals are collectively referred to herein as flow director assembly 322. Additional description regarding the first and second heating terminals 320, 321 and flow director 308 is provided in US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0335071 to Brinkley et al., which is incorporated in its entirety. Incorporated herein by reference.

Atomizer 310 may include a liquid transfer element 324 and a heating element 326. The cartridge may additionally have a base shipping plug (base shipping plug) coupled to the base to protect the base and mouthpiece and prevent contaminants from entering the interior prior to use, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,220,302 to DePiano et al. plug) and/or a mouthpiece shipping plug coupled to the mouthpiece, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The base 302 is coupled to a first end of the outer body 314 and the mouthpiece 316 is coupled to an opposing second end of the outer body, substantially holding the other components of the cartridge 300 therein. Alternatively, it can be completely sealed. For example, control component terminals 304, electronic components 306, flow director 308, atomizer 310, and reservoir 312 may be substantially or entirely retained within external body 314. there is. Label 318 at least partially surrounds outer body 314 and optionally base 302 and may include information thereon, such as a product identifier. Base 302 may be configured to couple with coupler 202 of control body 200 (see, for example, Figure 2). In some embodiments, base 302 may include anti-rotation features that substantially prevent relative rotation between the cartridge and the control body, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0261495 to Novak et al. , this document is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Reservoir 312 may be configured to hold an aerosol precursor composition. Representative types of aerosol precursor components and formulations also include those disclosed in US Pat. No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., US Pat. No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., and US Pat. No. 9,254,002 to Chong et al.; US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0008457 by Zheng et al.; US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0020823 to Lipowicz et al.; US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0020830 to Koller; Described and characterized in WO 2014/182736 by Bowen et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Other aerosol precursors that may be used are those described by R.J. Includes aerosol precursors included in Reynolds Vapor Company's VUSE® products, Lorillard Technologies' BLU products, Mistic Ecigs' MISTIC MENTHOL products, and CN Creative Ltd's VYPE products. Also preferred are so-called “smoke juices” for electronic cigarettes available from John Creek Enterprises LLC. Examples of effervescent materials can be used with aerosol precursors and are disclosed, for example, in US Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0055494 to Hunt et al., incorporated herein by reference. . Additionally, the use of foamable materials is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,368 to Niazi et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,178,878 to Wehling et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,223,264 to Wechling et al.; U.S. Patent No. 6,974,590 to Panther et al.; US Patent No. 7,381,667 to Bergquist et al.; U.S. Patent No. 8,424,541 to Crawford et al.; U.S. Patent No. 8,627,828 to Strickland et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 9,307,787 to Sun et al.; US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0018539 to Brinkley et al.; and PCT WO 97/06786 to Johnson et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Additional descriptions of embodiments of aerosol precursor compositions, including descriptions of the tobacco or tobacco-derived components contained therein, may be found in U.S. Patent Application Nos. 15/216,582 to Davis et al., filed July 21, 2016, respectively; No. 15/216,590, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The reservoir 312 may include a plurality of layers of non-woven fibers formed in the shape of a tube surrounding the interior of the outer body 314 of the cartridge 300. Accordingly, the liquid component can be adsorbed and held, for example, by the storage tank 312. Reservoir 312 is in fluid communication with liquid transfer element 324. Accordingly, liquid transfer element 324 may be configured to transfer liquid from reservoir 312 to heating element 326 via capillary action or other liquid transfer mechanism.

As shown, liquid transfer element 324 may be in direct contact with heating element 326. As further shown in FIG. 3 , heating element 326 may include a wire defining a plurality of coils wound around liquid transfer element 324 . In some embodiments, heating element 326 may be formed by wrapping a wire around liquid transfer element 324 as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,210,738 to Ward et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. It is incorporated by reference. Additionally, in some embodiments, the wires may define variable coil spacing as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,277,770 to DePiano et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Various embodiments of materials configured to generate heat when an electric current is applied therethrough may be used to form heating element 326. Exemplary materials from which wire coils can be formed include kanthal (FeCrAl), nichrome, molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2), molybdenum silicide (MoSi), aluminum doped molybdenum disilicide (Mo(Si,Al)2), graphite. and graphite-based materials; and ceramics (eg, positive or negative temperature coefficient ceramics).

However, various other embodiments of the method may be used to form heating element 326, and various other embodiments of heating element may be used in atomizer 310. For example, stamped heating elements can be used in atomizers as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,491,974 to DePiano et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In addition to the above, additional representative heating elements and materials for use herein include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,671 to Counts et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,093,894 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,224,498 to DB et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,228,460 to Sprinkel Jr. et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,322,075 to DB et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,353,813 to DB et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,468,936 to DB et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,498,850 to Das; Dass' U.S. Patent No. 5,659,656; U.S. Patent No. 5,498,855 to DB et al.; U.S. Patent No. 5,530,225 to Hajaligol; U.S. Patent No. 5,665,262 to Hazaligol; US Patent No. 5,573,692 to Das et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,368 to Fleischhauer et al., the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Additionally, in other embodiments, chemical heating may be used. A variety of additional examples of heaters and materials used to form heaters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., referenced above, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

A variety of heater components may be used in the present aerosol delivery device. In various embodiments, one or more microheaters or similar solid state heaters may be used. Microheaters suitable for use in the presently disclosed devices, and atomizers comprising microheaters, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,881,737 to Collett et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The first heating terminal 320 and the second heating terminal 321 (e.g., negative and positive heating terminals) are coupled to opposite ends of the heating element 326, and the cartridge 300 is connected to the control body 200. ) is configured to form an electrical connection with the control body 200 (see, for example, Figure 2). Additionally, when the control body 200 is coupled to the cartridge 300, the electronic component 306 may form an electrical connection with the control body through the control component terminal 304. Accordingly, the control body 200 may use the electronic components 212 (see FIG. 2) to determine whether the cartridge 300 is genuine and/or perform other functions. Additionally, various examples of electronic control components and the functions performed by them are disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0096781 to Sears et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

During use, a user may draw on the mouthpiece 316 of the cartridge 300 of the aerosol delivery device 100 (see FIG. 1). This may draw air through an opening in the control body 200 (see, for example, Figure 2) or the cartridge 300. For example, in one embodiment, the opening is between the coupler 202 and the outer body 204 of the control body 200 (see, e.g., Figure 2), as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,220,302 to DePiano et al. may be limited to, and this document is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. However, the flow of air may be received through other parts of the aerosol delivery device 100 in other embodiments. As mentioned above, in some embodiments, cartridge 300 may include a flow director 308. Flow director 308 may be configured to direct a flow of air received from control body 200 to heating element 326 of atomizer 310 .

A sensor within the aerosol delivery device 100 (e.g., flow sensor 210 within the control body 200; see FIG. 2) may detect the puff. When a puff is detected, the control body 200 may direct a current to the heating element 326 through a circuit including the first heating terminal 320 and the second heating terminal 321. Accordingly, heating element 326 may vaporize the aerosol precursor composition directed from reservoir 312 to the aerosolization zone by liquid transfer element 324. Accordingly, mouthpiece 326 may allow passage of air and entrained vapors (i.e., components of the aerosol precursor composition in inhalable form) from cartridge 300 to a consumer who draws on mouthpiece 326. .

Various other details regarding components that may be included in cartridge 300 are provided, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0261495 to DePiano et al., incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. do. Additional components that may be included in cartridge 300 and details thereof are provided, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0335071 to Brinkley et al., incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. do.

The various components of an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure may be selected from those known in the art and commercially available. Reference is made, for example, to a reservoir and heater system for controllable delivery of multiple aerosolizable materials in an electronic smoking article disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0000638 to Sebastian et al., which is incorporated herein in its entirety. It is incorporated by reference.

In other embodiments, the cartridge may be formed substantially entirely of one or more carbon materials, which may provide advantages in terms of biodegradability and absence of wires. In this regard, the heating element may comprise carbon foam, the reservoir may comprise carbonized fabric, and graphite may be utilized to form electrical connections with the power and control components. there is. Exemplary embodiments of carbon-based cartridges are provided in United States Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0255702 to Griffith et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

However, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to provide an aerosol delivery device with an alternative configuration. In this regard, Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a cartridge 400 according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 shows the cartridge in an exploded configuration. Figure 5 shows cartridge 400 in an assembled configuration. Unless otherwise described and/or shown, the components of cartridge 400 may be substantially similar or identical to the corresponding components described above with respect to FIGS. 1-3.

As shown, cartridge 400 may include a base 402, flow director 408, atomizer 410, outer body 414, and mouthpiece 416. A first end of the outer body 414 may engage the base 402 . The second opposite end of outer body 414 may engage mouthpiece 416 .

Flow director 408 may extend from a first end 408A in base 402 through outer body 414 to a second end 408B in mouthpiece 416. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 5 , reservoir 412 may be defined between flow director 408 and external body 414 . Reservoir 412 may define an open space configured to contain the aerosol precursor composition. In one or more embodiments, a fibrous substrate may be present in at least a portion of reservoir 412 to maintain an aerosol precursor composition similar to reservoir substrate 312 shown in Figure 3.

Atomizer 410 may be configured to vaporize the aerosol precursor composition received from reservoir 412. In this regard, as shown in FIG. 6 , atomizer 410 may include a liquid transfer element 424 and a heating element 426 . Heating element 426 may include a wire defining a plurality of coils extending around liquid transfer element 424 . Additionally, the atomizer 410 may include first and second connectors 428A, 428B that contact the coils at opposing first and second ends of the heating element 426. Connectors 428A, 428B may be configured to couple with first and second heating terminals 420, 421 (see FIG. 7) to power the heating element.

Atomizer 410 may extend through flow director 408. More specifically, the longitudinal axis of the liquid transfer element 424 may extend substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the flow director 408 such that the atomizer 410 extends across the flow director 408. In this regard, as shown in FIG. 7, flow director 408 may include one or more holes 429A, 429B extending transversely thereto relative to longitudinal holes 431 extending through the flow director. You can. Atomizer 410 may extend at least partially through each of holes 429A and 429B such that it extends across longitudinal hole 431.

Liquid transfer element 424 may include a capillary channel 430 extending therethrough. Capillary channel 430 may be configured to receive aerosol precursor composition from reservoir 412. In this regard, as shown in FIG. 7 , capillary channel 430 may be in fluid communication with reservoir 412 . Accordingly, the aerosol precursor composition contained within reservoir 412 may enter liquid transfer element 424 through capillary channel 430. Additionally, liquid transport element 424 may comprise a porous monolith. For example, liquid transfer element 424 may include a porous ceramic material comprised of silica and/or alumina as an exemplary material. In some examples, when liquid transfer element 424 includes a mixture of silica and alumina, a heater may be used. In some examples, the heater is in the form of a conductive mesh rather than a heater coil, formed of a plurality of crossing conductive filaments wrapped around the liquid transport element 424 to provide more uniform heat distribution. It can be. Exemplary embodiments of conductive meshes are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/472,839 to Davis et al., filed March 29, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Alternatively, the porous liquid transport element can be composed of an electrically conductive ceramic (eg, boron-doped silicon), which can also act as a semiconductor with controllable resistance. In this way, the liquid delivery element can act as a heating element, eliminating the need for a heating coil with multiple coils and advantageously extending the life of the atomizer. Accordingly, the aerosol precursor composition may be wicked generally radially outward from the capillary channel 430 such that the liquid transfer element 424 is saturated and the aerosol precursor composition reaches the heating element 426.

Cartridge 400 may be coupled to a control body, such as control body 200 of FIG. 2 . Control body 200 may communicate with electronic component 406 via electronic component terminal 404 to verify that cartridge 400 is authentic and/or perform other functions (e.g., substantially empty cartridge). A function of preventing further heating of the heating element 426 after a predetermined number of cumulative seconds of heating, which may correspond to , has occurred. Afterwards, when the flow sensor 210 (see FIG. 2) of the control body 200 detects a puff on the cartridge 400, the control body 200 sends a signal from the electrical power source 216 (see FIG. 2) to the cartridge. Current can be directed. Thereby, current can be directed to the first and second connectors 428A and 428B through the first and second heating terminals 420 and 421.

In some embodiments, as shown, the first and second heating terminals 420, 421 may extend at least partially through the flow director 408. For example, the first and second heating terminals 420, 421 are molded into the flow director 408 (e.g., in-molded within the flow director during formation of the flow director). ), and may extend along at least part of its length. As another example, the first and second heating terminals 420, 421 may extend along a portion of their length and terminate at a location where the atomizer 410 extends across the flow director 408. By this, the first and second heating terminals 420 and 421 are connected to the first and second connectors ( 428A, 428B) respectively. The other ends of the first and second heating terminals 420, 421 and the outer end of the electronic component terminal 404 extend through an opening defined in the base 402 and are thus exposed to provide corresponding electrical contacts of the control body. It can be configured to combine with .

Accordingly, the current may be directed through the heating element 426 to generate heat (e.g., via joule heating) or may be conducted directly through the liquid transfer element. Heat may be transferred to the directed aerosol precursor composition through the liquid transfer element 424 such that vapor is generated within the flow director 408. The vapor may combine with air directed through flow director 408 and travel to the user through mouthpiece 416 (see, e.g., Figure 8). More specifically, vapor may be generated by an atomizer 410 within a longitudinal hole 431 extending through flow director 408. Thereby, by configuring the atomizer 410 to extend through the flow director 408, there may be no need to provide a separate atomization cavity. In other words, by generating vapor within the flow director 408, there may be no need to include a separate atomization cavity upstream or downstream of the flow director. Accordingly, the capacity of reservoir 412 for a given cartridge size can be relatively large.

In some embodiments, longitudinal aperture 431 may define a substantially constant cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal length of flow director 408 at each location along the length of the flow director. Additionally, base 402 may define a base aperture 433 that may match the size and shape of longitudinal aperture 431 extending through flow director 408. Additionally, the flow director 408 extends through the mouthpiece 416 (see, e.g., FIG. 8) or is the same size and shape of the mouthpiece as the longitudinal aperture 431 extending through the flow director. It can be aligned with the hole. Accordingly, a smooth flow path may be defined through cartridge 400, allowing flow through cartridge 400 with reduced pressure drop.

As mentioned above, reservoir 412 may define an open space configured to contain the aerosol precursor composition. Reservoir 412 may be sealed such that the aerosol precursor composition can only exit through atomizer 410 and not from reservoir 412 in the manner described herein. In this regard, the atomizer 410, and more specifically the first and second connectors 428A, 428B, are defined through the flow director 408 and engage apertures 429A, 429B through which the atomizer extends. You can. For example, the first and second connectors 428A and 428B may each be coupled to one of the holes 429A and 429B through a press fit. Thereby, the atomizer 410 can be sealed relative to the flow director 408.

Additionally, the outer body 414 can be sealed against the mouthpiece 416 and the first end of the flow director 408 can be sealed against the mouthpiece. For example, mouthpiece 416 can be ultrasonically welded to outer body 414 and flow director 408. Additionally, outer body 414 may be sealed relative to base 402. For example, in some embodiments, outer body 414 may be ultrasonically welded to base 402.

However, in other embodiments, it may be desirable to provide an alternative mechanism for sealing reservoir 412. For example, it may be desirable to configure the cartridge 400 so that the atomizer 410 is removable. However, the atomizer 410 may be non-removably coupled to the flow director 408. Additionally, flow director 408 may be non-removably coupled to base 402 (e.g., ultrasonically welded, adhesively attached, or otherwise substantially permanently connected to base 402). . As such, replacement of the atomizer 410 can be accomplished by replacing the atomizer, the flow director 408, the first and second heating terminals 420, 421, and the electronic components 406 (a compartment defined between the base and the flow director). and replacement of the assembly including the electronic component terminals 404 and the base 402.

Accordingly, these components may be configured to be removable from the remainder of cartridge 400. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the base 402 may include a plurality of threads 402A configured to engage a plurality of threads 414A of the outer body 414, such that the outer body 414 It is connected to the base through a screw connection. Although threads 402A and 414A may form a seal, in some embodiments, cartridge 400 may further include a sealing member configured to seal outer body 414 to base 402. For example, an O-ring 432, which may include silicone or another elastic material, may extend around the base 402 and threadably engage the base to engage the outer body 414. It can be compressed between and base.

Additionally, flow director 408 may releasably engage mouthpiece 416. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, flow director 408 may include a plurality of threads 408A configured to engage with a plurality of threads 416A of mouthpiece 416, thereby directing the flow. The director is coupled to the mouthpiece through a screw-type connection. The threads 408A, 416A may form a seal, but in some embodiments, the cartridge 400 may further include a sealing member configured to seal the flow director 408 against the mouthpiece 416. An O-ring 434, which may include, for example, silicone or another elastic material, may extend around the flow director 408 and direct the flow as the flow director threads into engagement with the mouthpiece. It can be compressed between the ki and the mouthpiece.

As can be appreciated, the flow director 408 may be threadedly engaged with the mouthpiece 416 (see FIG. 8 ), while the base 402 may be threadedly engaged with the outer body 414 (See Figure 7). Additionally, the pitch of the thread 408A of the flow director 408 and the thread 416A of the mouthpiece 416 is the same as the pitch of the thread 402A of the base 402 and the thread 414A of the outer body 414. may be identical, allowing simultaneous engagement of the flow director and mouthpiece and base with the outer body without one set of threads binding before the other set of threads, thereby allowing the threads to form a seal on their own; And/or the O-rings 432 and 434 can be compressed to form a seal.

Accordingly, by using threads 402A, 408A, 414A, and 416A, cartridge 400 can be configured such that the assembly including atomizer 410 can be removed and replaced. In this regard, the assembly comprising the atomizer 410 may be replaced when the useful life of the atomizer is completed, or the assembly may be configured to produce more or less aerosol with each puff, for example. It can be replaced with a different assembly containing a different atomizer.

As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the assembly containing the atomizer 410 may be replaceable so that a new atomizer can be provided when the atomizer reaches the end of its useful life. In this regard, in some embodiments, cartridge 400 may be refillable so that cartridge 400 can be reused repeatedly.

Accordingly, cartridge 400 may include features configured to facilitate refilling. For example, as shown in Figure 7, base 402 may define one or more charging ports 436. Accordingly, the open space defined by reservoir 412 within outer housing 414 can receive aerosol precursor composition directed through one or more fill ports 436. Additionally, one or more charging ports 436 may each include a one-way valve 438. One-way valve 438 may be configured to allow flow of aerosol precursor composition into reservoir 412 through fill port 436 and prevent flow out of reservoir 412. For example, one-way valve 438 may be formed of silicone or another resilient material and may include a diaphragm check valve that may be biased into a closed configuration. Accordingly, the nozzle or extension of the refilling bottle is coupled with the filling port(s) 436 and/or one-way valve(s) 438, thereby directing the aerosol precursor composition to refill the cartridge 400. can do. In some embodiments, outer body 414 may be transparent or translucent along at least a portion of the body so that a user can observe the amount of contained aerosol precursor composition contained therein, which may be used during and after use of cartridge 400. It may be useful to determine the level of aerosol precursor composition in reservoir 412 during refill.

Exemplary embodiments of one-way valves and other aerosol precursor composition refill components that may be included in cartridge 400 and associated refill bottles are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Nos. 15/165,928 to Sebastian et al., filed May 26, 2016, and to Davis et al. It is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0217882, and these documents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Additionally, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0013880 to O'Brien et al. discloses an aerosol delivery device comprising a refillable reservoir and a container for refilling the reservoir, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. .

In some embodiments, the refill bottle may screw into the cartridge, snap into place with the cartridge, or otherwise create a secure connection with the cartridge. The refill bottle can then dispense the aerosol precursor composition into the cartridge by pumping or squeezing the refill bottle, or by allowing pressurized fluid within the refill bottle to release the aerosol precursor composition into the cartridge. In some embodiments, the filling port(s) may be configured to receive aerosol precursor composition from a refill bottle that is also configured to refill a so-called “tank” that defines a relatively large reservoir for the aerosol delivery device. For example, the filling port may be sized and configured to receive a nozzle of a tank refill bottle, or the tank refill bottle may be provided with a second nozzle configured to engage the filling port of the cartridge. Accordingly, the cartridge's reservoir can be refilled with an embodiment of the refill bottle that can be used to refill many types of aerosol delivery devices.

Accordingly, the cartridges of the present disclosure can be refilled and reused. As can be appreciated, reuse of cartridges can provide cost savings compared to single-use disposable cartridges and reduce the amount of waste associated with the use of the cartridge. As mentioned above, cartridges for aerosol delivery devices have traditionally utilized fibrous wicks to convey the aerosol precursor composition to a heating element. Given the relatively short lifespan of the suction wick, cartridges have generally not been configured to be refillable. However, as described herein, by using a porous monolith as the liquid delivery element, and/or configuring the atomizer to be replaceable and/or using the liquid delivery element itself as a heater, the cartridge can be refilled and reused repeatedly. You can.

In a further embodiment, a method of operating an aerosol delivery device is provided. As shown in FIG. 9 , the method may include, at operation 502, retaining the aerosol precursor composition in a reservoir defined between a flow director and an external body, the flow director having a first flow director end and a second flow director end. It extends between the two flow director ends. The method also includes, at operation 504, directing the aerosol precursor composition from the reservoir through a liquid delivery element of the atomizer extending through the flow director at a location between the first flow director end and the second flow director end. may include The method may further include receiving an electric current through a heating element of the atomizer, at operation 506. The method may further include vaporizing at least a portion of the aerosol precursor composition to generate an aerosol within the flow director, at operation 508.

In some embodiments, the method may further include receiving the aerosol precursor composition through one or more filling ports defined in the base. Directing the aerosol precursor composition through the liquid transfer element in operation 504 may include directing the aerosol precursor composition through the capillary channel. Directing the aerosol precursor composition through the liquid transfer element at operation 504 may further include directing the aerosol precursor composition through the porous monolith to a heating element.

In some embodiments, receiving current through the heating element in operation 506 may include receiving current through a wire defining a plurality of coils extending around the liquid transfer element. The method may further include directing the aerosol out of the flow director through a mouthpiece. Additionally, the method may include retaining the aerosol precursor composition within the reservoir by a seal between the outer body and the base. The method may also include retaining the aerosol precursor composition within the reservoir by a seal between the mouthpiece and the outer body and a seal between the mouthpiece and the flow director.

Many variations and alternative embodiments of the present disclosure will occur to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and related drawings. Accordingly, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although certain terms are used herein, such terms are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for limiting purposes.

Claims (12)

In the atomizer,
A liquid transport element comprising a rigid monolith, the rigid monolith having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the rigid monolith configured to provide a conduit for vaporized aerosol precursors. the liquid transfer element comprising at least one aperture passing from the first side to the second side;
comprising a heating element,
The heating element extends at least partially across the at least one hole.
Atomizer. According to paragraph 1,
The at least one hole includes a centrally located hole.
Atomizer. According to paragraph 1,
The heating element comprises at least one heating element selected from the group comprising a heating element wire and a conductive mesh.
Atomizer. According to paragraph 1,
Further comprising at least one member arranged toward the first side of the rigid monolith and sandwiching the heating element between the first side of the rigid monolith.
Atomizer. According to paragraph 1,
Contains more electrical leads
Atomizer. According to paragraph 1,
The rigid monolith includes silica
Atomizer. In the aerosol delivery device,
an external body,
Includes an atomizer,
The atomizer is
A liquid transfer element comprising a rigid monolith, wherein the rigid monolith has a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the rigid monolith comprising a first side to provide a conduit for vaporized aerosol precursors. a liquid transfer element comprising at least one aperture passing from a side to the second side;
comprising a heating element,
The heating element extends at least partially across the at least one hole.
Device. In clause 7,
The at least one hole includes a centrally located hole.
Device. In clause 7,
The heating element comprises at least one heating element selected from the group comprising a heating element wire and a conductive mesh.
Device. In clause 7,
Further comprising at least one member arranged toward the first side of the rigid monolith and sandwiching the heating element between the first side of the rigid monolith.
Device. In clause 7,
Contains more electrical leads
Device. In clause 7,
The rigid monolith includes silica
Device.